Mexico '07
8:15A Leave Colts Neck
Talkative driver, China
9:55A Migraine aura
Bag sandwich purchase by Kathy
Pocket PC, S&N
Airplane full, $500 voucher offers
Sandwich from airport
Houston airport
Pocket PC, S&N, MS Word
Dinner at Wendys, salad
Airplane full to Merida
Paperwork for Mexican immigration, shadow light, flakey pen
Merida immigration
Met Bob
Taxi to El Castellano hotel
Walk last block
Hotel 10th floor
Music of Carnival
7:00A Kathy sick, temp 99+
9:00A Breakfast buffet
10:38A GPS set watch
1:15P Buffet lunch at hotel, excellent salmon h'ordervs, chocolate-pecan pie
Walk to museum, Carnival stands litter sidewalks, museum accepts pesos only, what frustration!!, return to hotel
Kathy temp 100+
7:30P Buffet dinner in hotel, carve turkey, black-zippers-hair group
Clamorous music of Carnival
8:00A Breakfast buffet, Jackie, Marylyn
9:00A Introductions, Chicxulub
Bus to D
Tour D, thatched roof walkway, museum, outdoor archerology area, equinox monument, Bruce talk under trees, ethnicity, lily pad pool, walk back to bus
Lunch at oceanfront seafood restaurant
Carnival parade passed by
Bus back to Merida
3:30P Nap time
6:30P Dinner with group, Marylin discussion
Walk in town with Bruce, churches, bookstore
Walk back to hotel
8:00A Buffet breakfast, K&B under arch
9:00A Bus to Izamal
Electric power lines discussion with Ron
Izamal plaza, restroom
Walk to Catholic church, bishop's church built over Maya pre-Spanish
Pyramids in distance
Walk to pyramid and lunch restaurant
Some people walked up some steps toward top of pyramid
Lunch open-air covered, Richard, Bruce, Bob
Bus to Chichen Itza
3:00P Resort hotel
Tour Chichen Itza, Jose
5:00P return to hotel
5:30P Chaotic check-in
6:30P Dinner
7:30P Star watching with Bob in front of hotel
7:30A Buffet breakfast
Continue tour Chichen Itza, Jose
Photos
Observatory
Obsidian letter opener
Walk back to room
Photos of pool and room
Change camera battery
1:00P K&B lunch outdoors near Art and Kay, red snapper, NICE!!
Lazy shopping, back to room
Relaxed sitting on porch, pool, nap
Kathy birding with Jackie and Bob
Wine and beer before dinner
Skipped ‘Light and Sound’ show
Buffet dinner, Susan, Marilyn and Watson
Stars: Saturn, Praceape, Leo, Regulus
8:30A Buffet breakfast
9:30A Leave Chichen Itza
Bus to Balankanche Cave
Balankanche Cave, hot
Bus through little town of Kaua
Cenote overlook, interesting
Maya house visit, rustic, interesting
Valladolid town square
11:30A Church service, Ash Wednesday
Amble through park, Bob photo
Kathy shopping
12:30P Lunch in Hotel El Meson del Marques
2:30P Bus to Ek Balam
Astronomy magazine shared by Bob
Ek Balam site, partially restored, interpretation by archeologists, Bruce talk
Tall structure, restored, lots of steps, temple at top, hot afternoon, German tourists
Unrestored mounds of rock rubble with trees
Kathy, Bob birding
Unexcavated mounds
Astronomical Maya talk by Bruce
Bus back to hotel in Valladolid
7:00P Dinner, astronomy talk with Bruce
7:00A Breakfast served, Richard, Jackie, skin cancer discussion
8:00A Bus to Coba
Rent tricycle cart
Lunch in open-air local-people’s restaurant (negotiated by Bruce earlier in the morning), hot
Bus to hotel, short wait for rooms
2:30P Bus to Talum
3:30P Talum by the sea, throngs of buses, people, HOT, trolley train, stone remnants of Maya
Left area, bought cold bottled water, trolley train back to bus area
5:00P Bus back to hotel
6:15P Back at hotel by lake
6:45P Pepto-Bismol
Missed Bruce talk on iconography
7:30 Breakfast, open-air restaurant by pool, very pleasant
8:30A Bus ride, many trees, then smaller trees, power lines, military inspection
2:00P Lunch near Uxmal, open-air restaurant, very pleasant, Bruce Halpin
2:45P Uxmal tour, sun hot, fewer people, pleasant
Pyramid of the Magician, Nunnery Quadrangle, Ball Court, House of the Pigeons, South Temple, Great Pyramid, Palace of the Governors
5:00P Shops, water, bought book with overlays
Bus short move to hotel
Shower after hot day
Dinner open-air by pool, stary sky, very pleasant, Bob, Bruce and Pauline, smoky grill (chicken back, bad)
Bruce Q&A lecture
Breakfast open-air by pool, Mark, pancakes
Bus to uncrowded sites
Arch monument, grassy lookout, iguana, Peter scared away
Across street to site, several sets of stairs, being restored
Bus to third site, shop bought book
Walk to "Apian Way" location, very pleasant
1:30P Lunch at Friday open-air restaurant near Uxmal, very pleasant
Bus back to Merida
Photos from window of room
4:30P Walk to murals, still somewhat hot
Cathedral service, photo Mexican flag, book store, stop for bottled water
7:30P Farewell dinner, Ron and Bob
Red drink, delicious
Fish grouper, excellent
9:30P Packing and bed
4:00A Arise and get ready
5:00A Taxis to airport
5:30A Airport
6:55A Leave Merida
9:00A+ Arrive Houston